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Microsoft Blocks Lebanon-Based Hackers Targeting Israel

The hackers were abusing Microsoft’s file hosting service, OneDrive, to target private and government organizations in Israel.

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microsoft blocks lebanon-based hackers targeting israel

Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) has successfully identified and disabled an attack orchestrated by a Lebanon-based activity group called Polonium.

The group was abusing Microsoft’s file hosting service, OneDrive, to target private and government organizations in Israel. Based on its tools and techniques, it seems that Polonium is affiliated with Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS).

“Polonium has targeted or compromised more than 20 organizations based in Israel and one intergovernmental organization with operations in Lebanon over the past three months,” explains MSTIC.

The good news is that all legitimate OneDrive accounts are completely safe because the attack didn’t involve any security issues or vulnerabilities. Instead, Polonium used the file hosting service for command and control to execute part of their attack operation.

Polonium’s targets include primarily organizations in critical manufacturing, IT, and defense industry. “In at least one case, Polonium’s compromise of an IT company was used to target a downstream aviation company and law firm in a supply chain attack that relied on service provider credentials to gain access to the targeted networks.”

MSTIC is still actively investigating how Polonium gained initial access to many of their victims, but it knows that most victims were running Fortinet appliances. Based on this fact, MSTIC suspects that the CVE-2018-13379 vulnerability was used to gain access inside the targeted organizations.

Also Read: Is Your Phone Hacked? How To Find Out & Protect Yourself

While the threat has been contained, there are certain actions MSTIC recommends all organizations to take to protect themselves, such as confirming that Microsoft Defender Antivirus is updated, enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA), and blocking in-bound traffic from specific IP addresses.

This isn’t the first instance of threat actors using OneDrive and other similar file hosting services to achieve their nefarious goals. Last year, for example, Microsoft discovered that OneDrive was used to host malware files commonly used to launch Conti ransomware attacks.

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1,000 Drones Light The Dubai Sky For AC Milan Celebration

Cyberdrone’s groundbreaking display marked 125 years of AC Milan football club and the 1st-year anniversary of Casa Milan Dubai.

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Cyberdrone, a leading UAV display company based in Dubai, put on a breathtaking drone light show on Monday to honor two significant football milestones: AC Milan’s 125th anniversary and the one-year anniversary of Casa Milan Dubai.

The spectacle involved 1,000 drones working in perfect harmony to project AC Milan’s iconic imagery against the city’s night sky. Highlights included the UAVs synchronizing to form the club’s iconic crest, the signature red and black jersey, and a special emblem marking its 125th year. The intricate performance demanded meticulous planning, not just in terms of choreography, but also in dealing with the necessary permits and logistics.

cyberdrone ac milan dubai

“Our goal was to spotlight AC Milan’s legacy through a stunning visual narrative,” explained Mohamed Munjed Abdulla, Director of Sales at Cyberdrone. “We celebrated the club’s history, its Dubai milestone, and the universal love for football. The show also enhanced AC Milan’s regional presence, growing its fanbase through a cutting-edge, memorable experience. Drone shows are unparalleled in leaving lasting impressions, making them perfect for driving partnerships and growth”.

Also Read: Joby Begins Construction Of Dubai’s First Vertiport For Air Taxis

Greta Nardeschi, AC Milan’s Regional Director for MENA, echoed the sentiment, adding: “Collaborating with Cyberdrone for this 1,000-drone performance allowed us to connect with our fans in innovative ways. It gave us a unique opportunity to surprise and inspire audiences while elevating our Club’s visibility and that of our partners. Cyberdrone truly helped us take AC Milan to new heights”.

This groundbreaking drone display sets a new benchmark for the Middle East’s sports sector, which already contributes around $2.4 billion annually to Dubai’s GDP alone. Sporting events also generate $1.76 billion in revenues across the region, while the MENA’s entertainment sector, valued at $41.13 billion, is growing at 9.41% annually, driven by rapid technological advancements.

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